Fire-extinguishing apparatus.



G. J. COUTU.

FIRE BXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1911.

1,074,165. Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

v 5 SHEETS-$11315 1. .76 Q

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH couwksmua'rou. n c.

' G. J. OOUTU.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14,1911.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

5 SHEETS-$113181 2.

., WASHINGTON D c G.J.00UTU.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1911.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3 G. J. GOUTU.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1911.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Emma/tow 61d CowZcL COLUMBX A PLANDGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, n. c

v G. J. 0001 11. FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1911. 4 1,074,1 65, Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPN C0..WA8H|NOTON. n. c.

GEORGE J. COUTU, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHING- APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

Application filed June 14, 1911. Serial No. 633,159.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. Comp, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Extinguishing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to fire extinguishing apparatus, and more particularly to an improved water tower.

The invention aims primarily to provide a water tower designed to throw a number of streams of'wate r in different directions into a burning building, in which respect it differs from the ordinary water tower which is only adapted to throw a stream of water upon the roof or against the walls of a' building.

To this end, the tower of the presentinvention includes a water supply pipe which jected into a burning building through one of the windows thereof, the pipe at its said end being provided with a number of nozzles presented in different directions so as to throw a number of streams of water in different directions.

One novel feature of the invention resides in means which is provided for raising and lowering the support for the pipe above mentioned, and means for advancing and retracting the pipe so that it may be projected through any window of a burning building.

The invention also contemplates the provision of means for tilting the pipe so that different portions of the room in which the discharge end of the pipe is projected, may be more or less thoroughly flooded as found necessary.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of the apparatus embodying the present invention, in use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus collapsed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the mechanism for adjusting the water supply pipe, thesupports for the elements of this adjusting means being omitted. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a portion of the apparatus, the water supply pipe and several other parts being shown in section. Fig. 5 is a vertical secferred to in the following 1s adapted to have its discharge end pr0- turned so as to permit tional'view on the line 55 of Fig. 4,

line 66 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional View on the line 77 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is, a detail view of the discharge end of the water supply pipe. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 6.

Corresponding and like parts are redescription and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

In the drawings, the apparatus is illustrated as mounted upon a wheeled truck the frame of which is indicated by the numeral l and the supporting wheel by the numeral 2. This truck is preferably motor driven although it may be drawn by horses if preferred, and it is of a length to accommodate the apparatus when in collapsed condition, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. At the forward end of the truck frame there is fixed a base 3 upon which is mounted a circular track 4. A platform 5 is provided upon its under side with wheels 6 which travel upon the track 4, and i the platform is in this manner mounted for rotation, it being held against tilting by a shaft 7 which is secured axially therethrough and through the base 3. Upon the under side of the platform 5 is fixed an annular rack 8 with which meshes a pinion 9 fixed upon a shaft 10 journaled in a Suitable bracket 11 upon the base 3. This shaft 10 is provided at its upper end with a hand wheel 12 by means of which it may be rotated for the purpose of turning the platform 5 to the desired position. The platform 5 supports the apparatus as a whole, as will be presently explained, and may be of the water supply pipeof the appara-t us'being projected to either side of the truck.

Spaced supports 13 are fixed upon the platform 5 at opposite sides of the axis thereof. Mounted as at 14 for swinging movement upon each support 13 is a member 15 which constitutes the base of the uprights upon which the support for the water supply pipe is adjustable. The uprights, above mentioned, are indicated by the numeral 16, and at their upper ends are connected by a cross beam 17. The lower ends of the uprights are secured one to each of the base members 15, and near their said lower ends the uprights are-connected by cross members 18 which serve also as a support for the water supply pipe, in the manner to be presently-explained.

Each member 15.is formed orprovided with an arcuate rack 19 concentric to-the pivot 14 about which it swings, and meshing with each of the racks 19 is a pinion 20 fixed upon the inner end of a shaft 21 journaled in a suitable bearing upon the corresponding support 13. A gear wheel 22 is alsofixed upon each of the shafts 21 and meshes with a pinion 23 carried by a shaft 24 also :journaled upon the respective support 13. A gear wheel 25, upon the shaft 24, is in meshwith a pinion 26 fixed upon a short shaft, 27 carrying a crank han- 'dle 28. By rotating both of the crank handles- 28,simultaneously, the pinions 20 will becorrespondingly rotated, and will impart swinging movement to the members 15; thereby raising or lowering the uprights 16.

The support for the water supply pipe includes slides 29 and 30 which are, slidably disposed against the :uprights 16. A bracket 31 is supported upon the slide .29 and a bracket 32 is supported upon the slide 30. The support for the water supply pipe is in the form of a head '33 having trunnions I34 projecting from opposite sides and journaled'in the brackets 31 and 32, the'head being in this manner supported for tilting -movement. The water supplyv pipe is indicated by the numeral 35 and is slidably fitted through a bore 36. formed through;

said head 33. The head 33 carries a gear} which is indicated by the numeral 37and a1 pinion 38, upon a shaft 39, is in mesh with, 40 the gear 37. This shaft 39 is journaled in the bracket 32 and the slide 30 upon which the said bracket is mounted and a. double ,grooved pulley 40 is fixedupon the said shaft. Across rod 41 extends from one to 45 the other of the members 15 and supports a plate 42 located between the members.

A rocker 43 is. mounted upon the inner side of one of the members 15, and a similar rocker, indicated also by the numeral 43, 50' is mounted upon one side of the plate 42.

The-plate 42 is'formed with an arcuate slot 44 inwhich is slidably'mounted a bearing 45 to which is connected the upper end of the rocker 43 upon the said plate 42. The ,mem- 55*ber 15 is also formed with an arcuate slot '46 in which is slidably arranged a bearing;

47,'and a shaft 48 is journale'd' at its ends in the bearings and'47 and carries a drum '49. 'Ashaft 50 is journaled at its ends in Y 0 bearings in'the said member 15, and'the plate 42, and-carries a drum 51, and cables 52. and 53 are wound 'uponthe drums 49 and 51 respectively and are trained, in opposite directions, about the pulley 40. A

5 gear 544s carried by the shaft 48 and'a gear 55 is carried by the shaft 50. A shaft 56 is-journaled, at its ends in the lower ends of the rockers 43, and one end of this shaft projects through an arcuate slot in the said -member 15 and carries a gear 57 which is atall times in mesh with the gear 54, :and is adapted to be moved into and out of mesh with the gear 55, by means to be presently described. A shaft 58 is journaled in the said member15 .and plate 42 and carries a similar pinion 59 and a crankhancl-le'i60 by means of which handle'it may be rotated. A lever 61 is pivoted as at 62 upon the said member 15 and is connected,

by means of a. link 63, at its lower end, with the lower'end of the rocker 43. A lever .64 is pivotally mounted, as at 65, :upon the plate 42, and connected by means of a link 66 with the other rocker 43. A rack '67 is mounted upon the plate 42 and projects rearwardly therefrom, and the lever 64 is engageable with. one side of'this rack and is held thereby at adjustment. A finger .68 is pivoted to the lever 61, and has a hooked end which is engageable in an opening 69 in. the member 15, for the purpose of holding the lever 61at adjustmentiwhen swung up, and a detent 7 O is pivoted to'the member 15 and is adapted to rest by gravity against the lever 61, when the lever is swung down, for the purpose of holding it in this position. When both ofthe levers 61 and 64 are swung down to the position shown in Fig.5 of the. drawings, the gear 54 will be out of mesh with, the gear 55, and both of these gears will be in mesh with the gear 57, the pinion 59 being in mesh with thesaid gear 57. Now,when the crank handle .60 is. rotated, the drums 49 and 51 will be rotated in the same direction depending upon the direct-io'nin which the crank handle is rotated, and when the crankhandle is rotated in one direction, the cable v52 will be wound upon the drum 49 and the cable '53 will be unwoundfrom the drum 51, ro-

tation of the crank handle in the opposite direction resulting in the cable 53 being wound upon drum 51 andth-e cable 52 unwound from the drum 49. This will result in the pulley 40 being rotated in one direction .or the other, and this rotation of the pulley will act to angularly adjust the head 33, and correspondingly angularly adjust, the water supply pipe 35.

hen the levers 61 and 64. are swung up, the gears 54 and 55 will be thrown into mesh with each other, and the gear 57 will then mesh with the gear 54 and will be moved out of mesh with the pinion 59. At the same time, the gear 57 is moved into mesh with a gear 71-which is fixed upon a shaft 72j-ournaled at its ends in the base members 15. At this point it'w'ill be readily understood that and 51 will be caused'to rotate toward or away from each other, depending upon the direction of rotation of the said gear 71, and as a consequence the cables 52 and 53 will be wound upon and unwound from their respective drums. The function for this engagement of the gears will be presently made clear. A shaft 73 is also journaled in the base members 15 and carries drums 74 and pinions 75 and 76. Pinion 75 is in mesh with the gear 71 and the pinion 76 is in mesh with a gear 77 carried at the other end of the shaft 72. A crank handle 78 is fixed at each end of the shaft 73, and these crank handles are to be simultaneously rotated for the purpose of rotating said shaft. Cables 79 are wound upon the drums 74 and are trained about pulleys 80 loosely mounted upon a shaft 81 supported by the base members 15 and the plate 42. The cables are also trained over pulleys 82 which are mounted upon the cross bar 17 at the upper ends of the uprights 16, and are then connected to the brackets 31 and 32. It will now be understood that by rotating the shaft 73 by means of the crank handles 78, the cables 79 will be wound upon and unwound from their respective drums 74, and the slides 29 and 30 together with the water supply pipe supporting head 33 will be slid up or down upon the uprights 16, depending upon the direction of rotation of the said shaft 73. At this point it is also to be noted that when the levers 61 and 64 are swung up and the gear 57 is in mesh with the gear 71, as the shaft 73 rotates, the cables 52 and 53 will be unwound from or wound upon their respective drums so that when the shaft 7 3 is so rotated as to move the head 33 upwardly between the uprights 16, the cables 52 and 53 will be paid out from the drums 49 and 51, and when this head is lowered, the slack of the cables 52 and 53 will be taken up.

The other one of the base members 15 is formed with an arcuate slot indicated by the numeral 83, and the bearing 84 is slidably mounted in the slot and supports one end of the shaft 85, the other end of which shaft is journaled in the bearing 45. A drum 86 is fixed upon the shaft 85, and rockers 87 are mounted upon the said member 15 and the plate 42 and correspond in their location and relative arrangement tothe rockers 43. A shaft 88 is journaled at its ends in the said base member 15 and the plate 42 and carries a drum 89, and journaled at its ends in the lower ends of the rockers 87 is a shaft 90 carrying a gear 91. The shaft 85 carries a gear 92 which is at all times in mesh with the gear 91, and the shaft 88 carries a gear 93 with which the gears 91 and 92 are adapted to mesh. The gear 77, heretofore referred to and described as being fixed upon the shaft 73, is adapted to mesh with the gear 91, as is also a pinion 94 fixed upon a shaft 95 which is in axial alinement with the shaft 58 but rotates independently thereof. A crank handle 96 is fixed upon the shaft 95, and by this means the said shaft may be rotated to impart rotary movement to the train of gears above described. A lever 97 is pivotally mounted, as at 98, upon the said base member 15, and is connected by means of a link 99 with the shaft 90, and this lever carries a finger 100 having a hooked end adapted to engage in the opening 101 in the said member 15 for the purpose of holding the lever at adjustment when swung up. A pivoted detent 102 corresponding to the detent is provided for holding the lever when swung down. A lever 103 is pivoted to the plate 42 and is engageable with the side of the rack 67 opposite the side with which the lever 64 coiiperates, for the purpose of being held at adjustment when swung up or down.

When the levers 97 and 103 are swung down, the gear 91 will be in mesh with the gears 92 and 93, these two latter gears being out of mesh with each other, and the pinion 94 will be in mesh with the said gear 91. By rotating the shaft 95, rotary movement will be imparted to the shaft 92 and 93, and consequently to their respective drums 86 and 89, these drums being rotated in the same direction and in such manner as to wind or unwind cables 104 and 105, connected to them respectively. These cables 104 and 105 are trained over a double grooved pulley 106 mounted in the bracket 31 and extend in opposite directions and connect as at 107, to opposite ends of the water supply pipe 35. At this point it will be readily understood that with the levers 97, and 103 swung down, the crank handle may be rotated in one direction or the other to wind one cable and unwind the other, and thereby adjust the water supply pipe through the head 33. When it is desired to raise or lower the head 33, the levers 97 and 103 are to be swung up as well as the levers 61 and 64, and such movement of the levers 97 and 103 will result in the gear 91 being moved out of gear with the one 93, and into gear with the gear 7 7 the gear 91 being also moved out of gear with pinion 94. Rotation of the shaft 73 to the cable 79 thereon will then result in the rotation of the drums 86 and 89 toward or away from each other to pay out or take up the cables 104 and 105 as the head 33 is raised or lowered.

Pawls 108 rest in engagement with the gears 55 and 93 and serve to hold the said gears against backward rotation, and pawls 109 and 110 engage respectively with the pinions and 76 and serve to prevent the shaft 73 rotating in a direction to unwind the cables 79 when the head 33 has been elevated.

Mounted upon the platform 5 is a water chest indicated by the numeral 111, and leading into this chest are a number of hose 7 one to the upper end of each of the conduits 113. The rear end of the water supply pipe '35 is provided with a cap 120, and the conduits 116 are connected by swivel elbow j oints 121 with the said cap at opposite-sides thereof.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that when the apparatus is collapsed, as illustrated in Fig; 2 of the drawings, the uprights16 will lie substantially horizontal, they being preferably supported near their freeends by a supporting bracket 122 mounted upon the truck frame 1. Due to the peculiar connection had between the several conduits 113, 116 and 117, and the fact that the water supply pipe 35 is-slidable through the head 33, the conduits may be folded to assume about the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and the water supply pipe be properly adjusted through the head 33 by rotating the drums 86 and 89.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows, assuming that the apparatus is collapsed as illustrated inFig. 2 of the drawings:Crank handles 28 are rotated to cause the base members 15 to swing from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, and thereby swing the uprights 16 to vertical position. The platform 5 is then turned so that the discharge end of the watersupply pipe will be presented toward the burning building and the crank-handles 78 are then r0- tate'd soas to wind up the cables 79 and elevate the head 33 to position opposite a window of the building through which window the water supply pipe is to be projected. The levers 61, 6 1, 97 and 103 are at such time swung up. -Whenthe head 33 has been properly positioned, the drums 49 and 51 are so rotated as to properly angularly adjust the head 33 and correspondingly adjust the water supply pipe 35 so that its discharge end will be presented directly toward the window through which itis to be projected. The drums 86 and 89 are then rotated to advance the water supply pipe to project it through the window. When the pipe has been so positioned, the water is supplied through the hose 112 and is discharged from the pipe 35' by way of nozzles 123 which project at differentanglesfroma head 12 1 which is removably threaded upon the'forward end of the pipe35. It is'pref- 'erable thatthe nozzles 123 be removable s0 thatthey may be renewed when they-become burned orworn out. It will be-understood that the levers 61, 641, 97 and 103 are all swung down while the drums49 and 51 or the drums 86and 89 are being rotated to angularlyadjust the water supply pipe 35 or to advance or retract it.

Havin g thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. In apparatus of the class described, an upright, a support adjustable therealong, a water supply pipe slidably carried by the support, a drum, acable connected to the support and wound upon the drum, a pulley uponthe support, a winding device, cables connected to the water supply pipenear its opposite ends and trained over the pulley and connected with the winding device, a

gear fixed with the drum, a gear fixed with the winding device, an operating shaft, a pinion carried thereby, a second operating shaft, a plnion carried by the last mentioned shaft and meshing with the first mentioned gear, and a pinion movable into mesh with the first mentioned pinion and last mentioned gear and movable also into mesh with the first mentioned gear.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a support, a winding drum, a cable connected to the support and to the drum to raise or lower the support when the drum is rotated in one direction or the other, a water supply pipe carried-by the support, a second winding drum, a cable connected to the water supply pipe and wound upon the last mentioned drum and arranged, when the said last mentioned drum is rotated to move the pipe in the direction of its length upon the support, and means operable to rotate the first mentioned drum and simultaneously rotate the last mentioned drum to pay out or take up the last mentioned cable.

3. In apparatus of the'class described,-a support mounted for up and down adjustment, a windingdrum, a cable connected second mentioned drum to angularly adjust the support, and means for rotating the first mentioned drum and simultaneously rotating the last mentioned drum to pay out or take up the last. mentioned cable.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a frame, rockers mounted in the frame, a dimm supported' by the rockers, a gear fixed for rotation with the drum, a second drum vearned-1n the frame,a gear fixed for rotationtherewith, a support, a water supply .pipe carried by the support, the support being mounted for. angular adjustment, cables wound-upon the drums in. opposite directions and operatively connected to thesuplast'mentioned gear and out of mesh with the pmion, said means being operable to,

oscillate the rockers to move the first mentioned gear out of mesh with the second mentioned gear and the third' mentioned gear out of mesh wit-h the last mentioned gear and into mesh with the first mentioned gear and the pinion.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a base, an upright mounted thereon, a support vertically adjustable upon the upright, means upon the base connected with the said support for adjusting the same upon the upright, a head mounted for angular adjustment upon the support, means upon thebase having operative connection with the head and operable to angularly adjust the same, a]

Water supply pipe slidably mounted through the head, a pulley upon the support,'cables wound upon the pulley and connected at their ends to opposite ends of the Water supply pipe, andmeans upon the base for rotating the pulley.

6. In apparatus of the class described, an upright, a support vertically adjustable upon the upright, a head mounted for angular adj ustment upon the support, a gear carried by the head at one side, a shaft journaled upon the support, a pinion fixed upon the shaft and meshing with the gear, a drum mounted upon the shaft, winding drums arranged for rotation in opposite directions, means for rotating the drums, a cable wound about the first mentioned drum and wound upon the winding drums, a pulley upon the upright, a shaft, a Winding drum upon the shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a cable Wound upon the last mentioned winding drum and passed over said pulley and connected to the head, and gear connection between the'last mentioned shaft and the first mentioned windin drums arranged to rotate the latter to pay out the cables thereon when the shaft is rotated to wind up the last mentioned winding drum to vertically adjust the sup port upon the upright.

7. In apparatus of the class described, uprights mounted by one end for swinging movement in a vertical plane, a support movable on the uprights, a Water supply pipe mounted upon the support and adapted to be advanced and retracted through the support, and means operable from the base of the uprights for advancing and retracting said supply pipe. 7 r

8. In apparatusof the class described, spaced uprights mounted for vertical swinging movement, slides mounted for movement along the uprights, a head mounted between the slidesfor angular adjustment in a vertical plane, means for adjustably moving the slides upon the uprights, means for angularly adjusting the head with respect to the slides, a water supply pipe movably mounted through the head at a constant angle thereto, and means for advancing and retracting the water supply pipe through the head.

7 9. In apparatus of the class described, spaced uprights, a support mounted for vertical and angular adjustment between the uprights, a water supply pipe carried by the support andangularly adjustable therewith, and meansfor advancing and retracting said pipe through its support. and at any adjusted angle to the uprights.

10. In apparatus of the class described, an upright angularly adjustable in a vertical plane, a support longitudinally adjustable thereon, a water supply pipe slidably mounted through the support, means for angularly adjusting the support whereby to angularly adjust the said supply pipe, and means for advancing and retracting the said pipe.

11. In apparatus of the class described, uprights, a support manually movable vertically on the uprights, a water supply pipe movable through said support between the uprights and at an angle thereto, and means for moving said pipe longitudinally.

12. In apparatus of the class described, uprights, a support movable upon the uprights, a supply pipe movable through said support and extending at an angle to the uprights and from each side thereof, and means operable from the base of the uprights for moving said pipe both angularly, longitudinally and vertically.

13. An apparatus of the class described including a revolving base, uprights carried by the base and angularly adjustable in a vertical plane with respect thereto, a support mounted for movement along the uprights, a supply pipe mounted for movement through the support, and means for reciprocating the supply pipe in the support.

14. In apparatus of the class described, a base, an upright mounted thereon, a support vertically adjustable upon the upright, means upon the base connected with the said support for adjusting the same upon the upright, a head mounted for angular adjustment upon the support, means upon the base having operative connection with the head and operable to angularly adjust the same,

a water supply pipe slidably mounted through the head, and means upon the base and having operative connection with the supply pipe for moving the same through the head.

15..In apparatus of the class described, a support mounted for up and down adjustment, a'cable connected with the support,

inding and unwinding said second cable,

. pipe to angular-1y adjust the same, means for and means operable by the actuation of the Winding means of the first cable for simultaneously unwinding the second cable.

16, In apparatus of the class described, a support, a cable connected to the support,

means for Winding and unwinding the cable Y to raise or lower the support, a Water supply pipe carried by the support, a second cable operatively connected to the Water supply 5 simultaneously actuating 'the last Winding means.

In testimony whereofgl affiX'my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE aeouTri p. 51 k Witnesses I ALFRED "OoU'rU; JosEPH GILMANH I copis'bfitlfls patent may 'be obtained for five-cents eaoh byeddressmg the Cominissioner or rum-s aslfin'gt'on, 1). CQ v V p 7 

